Biological Sciences Section

The Section of Teachers of Biological Sciences provides a forum for the exchange of ideas pertinent to the effective teaching of biological science-based material in the professional curriculum of colleges of pharmacy and the promotion of effective biological sciences whose content is based primarily on biological facts and principles. Members of this section include teachers of anatomy, pharmacology, biochemistry, physiology, pathophysiology, cell/molecular biology, immunology, microbiology, genetics, pharmacognosy, pharmacodynamics, clinical pharmacology and toxicology.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Section of Teachers of Biological Sciences, consistent with the mission of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, is to provide an academic forum for the exchange of ideas pertinent to the effective teaching of biological science based material in the professional curriculum of colleges of pharmacy and the promotion of effective biological sciences whose content is based primarily on biological facts and principles. Furthermore, these disciplines provide a significant component of the intellectual scaffolding which supports the therapeutic principles upon which appropriate pharmaceutical care is dependent. Members of this section include teachers of anatomy, pharmacology, biochemistry, physiology, pathophysiology, cell/molecular biology, immunology, microbiology, pharmacognosy, pharmacodynamics, clinical pharmacology, toxicology and other sciences as appropriate.

The primary goal of the section is to ensure the appropriate inclusion of such information within the professional curriculum as dictated by educational outcomes established for the graduates of colleges of pharmacy. The intent of the section is to foster in conjunction with the other sections of teachers within AACP, an appropriate integration of this information throughout the curriculum in order to accomplish the shared goal of educating pharmaceutical care specialists.

Other specific prioritized section goals include:

Emphasize the central role of human biology in the teaching of pharmaceutical care.

Foster an appreciation and advance the understanding of all biological sciences underlying the actions, uses, administration and disposition of drugs in living systems.

Promote the acceptance of teaching and research as equally important areas of scholarship and as determinants of faculty reward.

Facilitate the identification and acceptance of procedures for documentation of teaching excellence.

Work with AACP's Director of Graduate Education, Research and Scholarship to facilitate graduate program evolution and enhance research-funding opportunities.

Foster and demonstrate the use of educational methods and techniques which utilize active learning principles in section-affiliated coursework.

Disseminate information on educational advances and state of the art technology in the application of teaching methods for the pharmaceutically-related biological sciences.

Serve as a clearinghouse for information related to section-affiliated coursework at AACP member schools.

Acknowledge the role of educational research in tenure and promotion policies and foster experimentation in teaching methods within the biological sciences.

Provide a forum at national and regional meetings of pharmacy faculty to discuss the teaching of biological sciences in pharmacy curricula.

Foster the mentoring of assistant professors by more senior faculty within the section membership.

Develop membership services and recruiting strategies that would be effective in achieving and maintaining a section membership composed of a majority of pharmacy faculty whose affiliation by discipline would be appropriate for this section.